News article - Style E 4401

Munster lock Paul O'Connell feels Ireland's current band of brothers will play on as a complete squad despite the heat-break of Saturday's concluding Six Nations loss to Wales.

Munster lock Paul O'Connell feels Ireland's current band of brothers will play on as a complete squad despite the heat-break of Saturday's concluding Six Nations loss to Wales.

The 25-year-old - Ireland's top tackler (11) in Cardiff - has been a firm fixture in the Irish set-up since making his debut against the Welsh in 2002.

The 32-20 defeat at the hands of the Dragons marked the Young Munster giant's 25th Test in Ireland's last 27. So if anyone is to hazard a guess as to what is likely to happen to the Irish squad in the near future - it may as well be Lions certainty O'Connell.

"Losing to Wales was a massive disappointment. We've gone backwards in this Championship. I thought we were ready to take the next step and push on but obviously we weren't," he admitted.

"Now we must stand back, take a look at ourselves and try to go forward again. I don't think there will be a rebuilding period. No one has talked about retiring. It will be a gradual thing if players are replaced."

Provincial colleague Marcus Horan - who came on as a substitute to open Ireland's try account on Saturday - echoed O'Connell's thoughts.

"I don't think we are looking at the end of an era here. There is a strength in depth in the squad. Some guys will probably move on but nobody said anything about this being their last chance of a Championship or anything like that," insisted the Shannon prop.

"It was hard to come back from the disappointent of the French defeat last week but there was something to play for here. A lot of guys were fighting for that - regardless of what their futures hold."

Newly-appointed Ireland Women's captain Ciara Griffin talks about attending her first Women's Six Nations launch and her pride at leading her country into the tournament, which kicks off with a trip to Toulouse next week to face France.

Speaking to Irish Rugby TV in Dubai, IRFU referee Joy Neville said she was 'over the moon and very proud' to receive the World Rugby Referee of the Year award last Sunday. She is in Dubai to referee in the opening round of the World Sevens Series this week, and is also looking forward to her Challenge Cup refereeing debut on Friday, December 15 (Bordeaux-Bègles v Enisei-STM).

First half tries from Darren Sweetnam, Jack Conan and Dave Kearney laid the foundations for Ireland's 23-20 win over Fiji in the second game of the GUINNESS Series at the Aviva Stadium. Check out the match highlights on Irish Rugby TV.

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Who we are is how we play. Fancy seeing more of how we all belong to the #TeamOfUs? Check out the extended version of the new ad from Vodafone Ireland featuring Conor Murray, Rory Best, Tadhg Furlong and Tiernan O'Halloran.

They may have left the island but they've never really left Ireland behind. The Irish diaspora of 70 million people around the world are ready to 'arise and go now', ready for the world, ready for a tournament like no other. Bob Geldof reads from 'The Lake Isle At Innisfree' by WB Yeats.

The ChildFund 'Pass It Back' Belfast Cup brought together girls from Vietnam, the Philippines and Laos with players from across Ulster to celebrate the power of sport and highlight how rugby is developing in Asia.

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Monday was a momentous day for the Ireland Women's camp as the 28-strong squad was revealed for the Women's Rugby World Cup on home soil. Head coach Tom Tierney and captain Niamh Briggs spoke to the press at the announcement in UCD.

IRFU Chief Executive Philip Browne spoke to Irish Rugby TV about the Union's 2016/17 Annual Report, which includes increased investment in Women's rugby and addresses the challenges of funding for the game in Ireland.

The launch of a commemorative stamp to mark the Women's Rugby World Cup in Ireland was a special day for Women's rugby, team captain Niamh Briggs and her family. We spoke to her and her dad Mike at the GPO.

Marie Louise Reilly joined her Ireland team-mates Nora Stapleton and Lindsay Peat at a recent Dublin City Council event in support of the upcoming Women's Rugby World Cup. Reilly, who works as a DCC Sports Officer, said: "The team are coming together really well, we're working hard and hopefully August will be really memorable not just for us but for the whole country."

Fiona Coghlan, Women's Rugby World Cup 2017 Ambassador and Chair of the Dublin City Sports and Wellbeing Partnership, speaks about Dublin City Council's support of the tournament in August and the momentum and excitement building in the capital and around the four provinces for WRWC 2017.